Former Deep Purple singer Joe Lynn Turner recently spoke to Braveworlds’ Streaming For Vengeance and admitted feeling disappointed when Ian Gillan replaced him in the band.
In 1987, Joe Lynn Turner joined Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force and recorded one album with the band titled ‘Odyssey.’ He then embarked on a tour to promote the album. After the release of the 1989’s live album titled ‘Trial By Fire,’ the musician left the band. The same year, Ian Gillan was fired from Deep Purple due to conflicts with Blackmore. After several auditions, the band settled on Joe Lynn Turner as Gillan’s replacement.
The new line-up recorded the 1990 album ‘Slaves And Masters,’ but it remained the only album they worked on. Turner toured with Deep Purple to support the release. At the end of the tour, the musician was forced to leave as Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Roger Glover, and the record company wanted Gillan back for Deep Purple’s 25th anniversary. Although Blackmore didn’t want this to happen, he received $250,000 from the record company.
In a recent interview with Braveworlds, Joe Lynn Turner looked back on his tenure with Deep Purple. Turner stated that being replaced by Ian Gillan was a disappointment, and he knew the band got a huge deal from BMG to recruit him. According to the musician, he wasn’t fired but was let go, and he didn’t cause any issues because of his love for Deep Purple. Moreover, Turner argued being the link that kept the band together.
As the musician said, Ian Paice told him that they would have never recorded albums like ‘Perfect Strangers’ if they hadn’t recorded ‘Slaves And Masters’ with him. Besides, Joe also claimed Paice told him there wouldn’t be a chance for them to work with Ritchie if he hadn’t been there. Turner stated that Paice’s remarks about him were accurate, and the ‘Slaves And Masters’ album was a good record, although it wasn’t a success at the time of the release.
Here is what Braveworlds’ Streaming For Vengeance asked Joe Lynn Turner:
“What is a project that you had your heart and soul set on, but it didn’t click?”
Turner responded:
“That’s an interesting question. Nobody has ever asked me that before. I mean, one album with Deep Purple, it was, I have to say, a disappointment, but I knew what was happening. I knew why it was happening. I knew they got this huge deal from BMG to get Gillan back in the band. You can’t pass up a couple of million dollars like that. So, they were like, ‘Joe, sorry.’
Everyone likes to say, ‘Joe was fired,’ but I wasn’t really fired; I was let go. I explained the situation and said, ‘Let me bow out to let Purple come forward again,’ because I’ve always loved Purple.
I was a big fan of the band my whole life, so I feel, as Ian Paice said, and I love this comment; I have a screenshot of it, and I’ll paraphrase it. He basically said, ‘Joe Lynn Turner was the link. We would have never gotten to ‘Perfect Strangers’ or anything if he hadn’t been there for ‘Slaves And Masters’ because Ritchie would have bolted.
Ritchie would have left and done something else, and then there would have been no chance for them to regroup.’ So, I was like the middleman to keep it together. And he said many other kind words about me. I love the guy, not because he’s flattering me, but because he’s accurate. And I knew that was the accuracy. We got so much flack for that album, but you listen to it; it’s a damn good album.”
You can watch the rest of the interview below.
